Falls are the most common causes of serious work related injuries and deaths. Employers must set up the work place to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations, or into holes in the floor and walls.

Workers may be required to work outdoors in cold environments and for extended periods and many workers may not know the signs and symptoms of cold stress, including conditions such as hypothermia, frostbite or trench foot.

If your job requires you to work outside in cold weather, it’s even more critical for you to be not only prepared with the proper gear to keep you safe from the dangers of the job, but also with proper clothing to keep you safe from the dangers of the cold.

Workers in cold weather can be exposed to serious health problems such as hypothermia, frostbite and trench foot. In certain instances, workers exposed to severe weather without personal protection equipment can also suffer shock that could lead to death.

On average, a non-fatal injury crash at work that involves distraction costs an employer $72,442. The National Safety Council states that the leading cause of workplace death is motor vehicle crashes, and estimates one-quarter of those crashes involve cell phone use.

Every year, thousands of workers become sick from occupational heat exposure, some fatally. Worker advocacy groups are calling on OSHA to require employers to protect their workers from heat by imposing mandatory rest breaks, hydration and access to shade or cooled spaces, among other measures.

The most recent decade in the U.S. was warmer than any previous decade on record and as global warming continues, extreme heat is expected to become more common – thus causing even more worker heat stress injuries and deaths. Because of the increasing danger, OSHA is being petitioned to require employers to protect their workers from heat by imposing mandatory rest breaks, hydration and access to shade or cooled spaces, among other measures.

Understanding the potential harm caused by working in high temperatures is only the first step when it comes to protecting employees. The most vital step in protecting workers is to develop a Heat Stress Prevention Program for your company.

Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards – and this includes protecting workers from extreme heat. Learn valuable tips on how to protect yourself from heat-related illnesses.